Good article.
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How often do major college basketball programs go on the road and play non-conference games at small on-campus arenas? It doesn't happen very often these days. But why not? Surely, the answer is money. But why does everything have to be about money? Could you imagine seeing a Duke or a Kansas a Kentucky playing at a small on-campus arena? Sure, it happens sometimes with local rivalries, but other than that we really don't see it happen very often.
But on Wednesday night, Tubby Smith's Minnesota Golden Gophers travelled to Philadelphia to play St. Joseph's. However, it wasn't at the Wells Fargo Center (formerly the Wachovia Center) or the Palestra. Instead, it was in front of less than 4,000 people at Hagan Arena on the St. Joseph's campus.
So how was St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli able to get Minnesota to play at Hagan Arena?
"Tubby has a guy on his staff that's in charge of scheduling," Martelli explained. "The guy sent out an e-mail. He asked me if we would play. I responded within the first 13 or 15 minutes that yes we would play and that we come there first and that they would come here. Nobody ever asked where the game was gonna be played. So over the last couple of summers Tubby would say to me, 'The game's at the Wachovia Center, isn't it?' And I would say, 'No.' And he would say, 'The game is at the Palestra, isn't it?' And I would say, 'No.' I said, 'The game is on campus.' So to his credit, he took the game, we appreciate it, and we would be willing to do that with anyone. Fair is fair. Home and home is fair."
Minnesota may not be on the same level as Duke, Kansas and Kentucky, but it is still a major Big Ten program with one of the top coaches in the business.
"There are certain programs that you would say, 'Well, to get them on the schedule, I would do whatever I have to do,'" said Martelli. "I'm not being bought. I don't want anyone's money. All you have to do is give me a fair shake. Play me home and home. You don't even have to play me in consecutive years. But we're gonna play at some point to give my fans and my players that home cooking."
Looking at Duke's non-conference schedule, the Blue Devils are playing three road games this season. They already played at Oregon, which holds more than 9,000 people. They will play at local opponent NC Greensboro, which plays at Greensboro Coliseum, an arena that also holds more than 9,000 people. And finally they will face St. John's, but it will take place at Madison Square Garden.
Kansas has yet to play a true road game and will only have two of them in non-conference play, both of them which are at major conference schools.
Kentucky has three true road games during non-conference play this season, all of which are at NBA-size arenas. They faced Portland at the Rose Garden and North Carolina at the Dean Dome, and will face rival Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center. All three of those arenas hold around 20,000 people.
"Hopefully, Tubby feels that it helps his team for down the road," said Martelli.
And Tubby said that he thinks it did help his team.
"It helps us to go to a hostile arena, stay composed, execute and finish the game the right way," said Smith.
"I think it helps us. It helps us in a lot of different ways. To get in this type of environment, to see how our guys responded. We've responded well in situations like this where our backs are against the wall, it's us against them, that type of mentality."
Think about how much it helps a team to face a feisty mid-major in a small, hostile on-campus arena during non-conference play. It would give that team some proper preparation going into conference play. They would learn how to deal with adversity and stay poised.
Martelli is very vocal about getting major programs to play on the St. Joseph's campus. Getting Minnesota to do so has already helped get another Big Ten school on campus.
"These guys, like Tubby Smith, who are future Hall of Famers, they get it. And part of the formula going forward to March is you must play on the road. So they know that we're not gonna mistreat anybody. We're gonna do it with style. We're gonna do it with class. I would love for that to be the case. And I'm always out there asking and chiming. But one of the things you want to do is balance. Because Minnesota's here this year, Penn state's in this building next year. Penn State, when they first wanted their agreement, they were like, 'Well, we'll play you at Penn State and at the Palestra.' 'Nope, no deal, no contract. I'm not signing anything. Minnesota is coming into this building, you're coming into this building.'"
In Minnesota's 83-73 win at St. Joseph's on Wednesday night, the Gophers had a to face a number of second half runs by the Hawks before making the big plays down the stretch and hanging on for a tough victory. Even though St. Joseph's is 3-6 this season and not a factor in the Atlantic 10, best believe that the crowd was packed and loud all night long. But the Gophers maintained poise and survived a tough contest.
"I think college basketball is much better off in terms of scheduling because the powers that be get it," said Martelli. "Those guys get it. Those guys go to big arenas to get their teams to get their team ready for NCAA first and second round and regionals. They go to big buildings. I'll give you a perfect example. A guy that's ingenious in scheduling is Mark Few. He won't come to St. Joe's anymore to play, but if we can work something out and end up at the Wachovia Center as part of a doubleheader, then we could do it."
One of the unique aspects of college basketball is the idea of the home-court advantage. The arenas, the atmosphere, the fans, the passion - that's what makes college basketball so great. Every team has to play in those arenas in conference play, so why shouldn't they challenge themselves in non-conference play? Just imagine Duke or Kansas coming to play in your favorite team's on-campus arena. Imagine how loud and enthusiastic the fans would be. We need to see more of that.
Phil Martelli and Tubby Smith have the right idea. They "get it." They have the best interests of the sport of college basketball in mind. Now, they just have to convince everyone else to hop on board.
http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=618
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How often do major college basketball programs go on the road and play non-conference games at small on-campus arenas? It doesn't happen very often these days. But why not? Surely, the answer is money. But why does everything have to be about money? Could you imagine seeing a Duke or a Kansas a Kentucky playing at a small on-campus arena? Sure, it happens sometimes with local rivalries, but other than that we really don't see it happen very often.
But on Wednesday night, Tubby Smith's Minnesota Golden Gophers travelled to Philadelphia to play St. Joseph's. However, it wasn't at the Wells Fargo Center (formerly the Wachovia Center) or the Palestra. Instead, it was in front of less than 4,000 people at Hagan Arena on the St. Joseph's campus.
So how was St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli able to get Minnesota to play at Hagan Arena?
"Tubby has a guy on his staff that's in charge of scheduling," Martelli explained. "The guy sent out an e-mail. He asked me if we would play. I responded within the first 13 or 15 minutes that yes we would play and that we come there first and that they would come here. Nobody ever asked where the game was gonna be played. So over the last couple of summers Tubby would say to me, 'The game's at the Wachovia Center, isn't it?' And I would say, 'No.' And he would say, 'The game is at the Palestra, isn't it?' And I would say, 'No.' I said, 'The game is on campus.' So to his credit, he took the game, we appreciate it, and we would be willing to do that with anyone. Fair is fair. Home and home is fair."
Minnesota may not be on the same level as Duke, Kansas and Kentucky, but it is still a major Big Ten program with one of the top coaches in the business.
"There are certain programs that you would say, 'Well, to get them on the schedule, I would do whatever I have to do,'" said Martelli. "I'm not being bought. I don't want anyone's money. All you have to do is give me a fair shake. Play me home and home. You don't even have to play me in consecutive years. But we're gonna play at some point to give my fans and my players that home cooking."
Looking at Duke's non-conference schedule, the Blue Devils are playing three road games this season. They already played at Oregon, which holds more than 9,000 people. They will play at local opponent NC Greensboro, which plays at Greensboro Coliseum, an arena that also holds more than 9,000 people. And finally they will face St. John's, but it will take place at Madison Square Garden.
Kansas has yet to play a true road game and will only have two of them in non-conference play, both of them which are at major conference schools.
Kentucky has three true road games during non-conference play this season, all of which are at NBA-size arenas. They faced Portland at the Rose Garden and North Carolina at the Dean Dome, and will face rival Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center. All three of those arenas hold around 20,000 people.
"Hopefully, Tubby feels that it helps his team for down the road," said Martelli.
And Tubby said that he thinks it did help his team.
"It helps us to go to a hostile arena, stay composed, execute and finish the game the right way," said Smith.
"I think it helps us. It helps us in a lot of different ways. To get in this type of environment, to see how our guys responded. We've responded well in situations like this where our backs are against the wall, it's us against them, that type of mentality."
Think about how much it helps a team to face a feisty mid-major in a small, hostile on-campus arena during non-conference play. It would give that team some proper preparation going into conference play. They would learn how to deal with adversity and stay poised.
Martelli is very vocal about getting major programs to play on the St. Joseph's campus. Getting Minnesota to do so has already helped get another Big Ten school on campus.
"These guys, like Tubby Smith, who are future Hall of Famers, they get it. And part of the formula going forward to March is you must play on the road. So they know that we're not gonna mistreat anybody. We're gonna do it with style. We're gonna do it with class. I would love for that to be the case. And I'm always out there asking and chiming. But one of the things you want to do is balance. Because Minnesota's here this year, Penn state's in this building next year. Penn State, when they first wanted their agreement, they were like, 'Well, we'll play you at Penn State and at the Palestra.' 'Nope, no deal, no contract. I'm not signing anything. Minnesota is coming into this building, you're coming into this building.'"
In Minnesota's 83-73 win at St. Joseph's on Wednesday night, the Gophers had a to face a number of second half runs by the Hawks before making the big plays down the stretch and hanging on for a tough victory. Even though St. Joseph's is 3-6 this season and not a factor in the Atlantic 10, best believe that the crowd was packed and loud all night long. But the Gophers maintained poise and survived a tough contest.
"I think college basketball is much better off in terms of scheduling because the powers that be get it," said Martelli. "Those guys get it. Those guys go to big arenas to get their teams to get their team ready for NCAA first and second round and regionals. They go to big buildings. I'll give you a perfect example. A guy that's ingenious in scheduling is Mark Few. He won't come to St. Joe's anymore to play, but if we can work something out and end up at the Wachovia Center as part of a doubleheader, then we could do it."
One of the unique aspects of college basketball is the idea of the home-court advantage. The arenas, the atmosphere, the fans, the passion - that's what makes college basketball so great. Every team has to play in those arenas in conference play, so why shouldn't they challenge themselves in non-conference play? Just imagine Duke or Kansas coming to play in your favorite team's on-campus arena. Imagine how loud and enthusiastic the fans would be. We need to see more of that.
Phil Martelli and Tubby Smith have the right idea. They "get it." They have the best interests of the sport of college basketball in mind. Now, they just have to convince everyone else to hop on board.
http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=618
